"I don't want to have to work, I just want to get paid for what I love."
- an unnamed Highschool senior
My profession is to work with students, so naturally my social media feed is filled with millennials and post-millennials which is a great source of entertainment in the areas of politics and world news. I stumbled upon a tweet from one of my students. His tweet and my subsequent reply brings me to write this post.
The exchange went something like this:
@student: "I just want to travel the world and take beautiful photos…while getting paid"
@me: "hey @student you and every other millennial!"
Now let me begin with a disclaimer. This student's post was meant tongue-in-cheek. This student is an exceptionally responsible student. He will no doubt agree with the thoughts of this blog. But his joke brings up a problem, I feel, with our society. This problem is not relegated to the "dreaded millennial" generation but it affects all of us. We all seem to have bought into the idea of "do what you love and you'll never work a day in your life." This quote is attributed to Marc Anthony (roman general, not 90's pop-star). I agree with the heart of this quote, which is what I would like to discuss. But the problem lies, not within the quote, but our interpretation of that quote.
I'll never have to work!
We've heard this quote in commencement speeches, in movies, in articles, etc. and it has causes us to buy into the idea that there's this magical "key" out there that we'll find and when we find it, we'll love it. Then suddenly, some person or organization will see our love for whatever "it" is and pay us a truck load of money for "it". And obviously fame and fortune and meaning will soon follow the money. All we have to do is wait, hold out hope and someday, "it" all will drop in our laps. Like a big Bird POO of destiny.
Unfortunately, what most Americans love the most is freedom; freedom to do what we want, when we want to do it. We all want to be independently wealthy, not having a job. Lets be honest, who wouldn't jump at the chance to never have to work and spend their life in a never-ending vacation. We all want to travel and see beautiful sights. We all want to create and live and love and experience. The problem is society has the pesky need to run. Civilization ticks along. Work needs to be done and people are required to…work. You don't see too many kids standing up in grade school saying, "when I grow up. I want to do data entry!" But data entry needs to be done. The same goes for thousands of other professions. So what do we tell our kids or peers, for that matter? "Hold out for something glamourous. Something sexy!" That's ridiculous.
Writing this blog I'm reminded of another interaction I had with a group of graduating seniors where I asked them what their greatest fear of "adulthood" was. One student replied, "I'm afraid of actually having to work."
"Understandable," I said. Bills, mortgages, and other responsibilities can be overwhelming."
"That doesn't scare me. My parents will always be there to bail me out. In fact, my brother is in his 30's with kids and my parents still pay like half his bills."
"Oh, well then what about work scares you?"
"I just don't want to do it. I want to find a way for someone to pay me to travel and…I don't know, do what I love."
What happens when this student is unleashed on the world? More to the point, what happens to the student when the world is unleashed on her? How does society function when you have 1/3 to 1/2 of the population not willing to do the functions that are required for that society to…function? Don't get me wrong, there should be a place for artists, photographers, actors, chefs, writers, and poets. But even within those perspective disciplines there are adversities. There is work. Just look at an author like Stephen King, who is one of the most prolific authors of our age (quantity, not necessarily quality). His body of work comes from a discipline to write a certain number of pages daily-daily! Even in the most favorable of all professions, work is still work. Let's get real. How many of us will actually find this magic key and live this kind of life-very few. How many jet-setting photo-journalists are there? How many 5-star chefs in the south of France are there? And if we sat down with these chefs and photographers to hear their story, how much heart ache and disappointment would be in them? The reality is, most of us are going to have to forge our way in life. And MOST of us aren't going to grace the covers of magazines or be the source of a big-budget Hollywood biopic.
Love what you do over doing what you love.
Where I think we missed Marc Anthony's quote is not in the finding what we love, but in the loving what we find ourselves doing. Anyone who's lived an adult life for any amount of time understands that there's an ebb and flow to things. Life doesn't grow at a 45 degree angle. But if we find joy in whatever it is before us, that leads happiness and success. I doubt the CEO of Roto-Rooter was high in the list of "when I grow up" dreams. But whoever it was who founded that company sure found plenty of success doing what others would not. To me the key to having, not only a successful life but a prosperous society are people who see a need to be filled and do so with all their passion. Not every career is glamourous. Not every job is designed for happiness and joy. But I believe everyone can love ANY job. Some jobs are only meant to resource a family-nothing more and nothing less. But if we are honest with ourselves, shouldn't that be enough. And I have to honestly believe that a worker in any field (whether working fast food, sanitation, or for a Fortune 500 company) is more productive and valuable worker for it. Thus bringing possible advancement.
I've had the fortune of working jobs that I loved. Or should I say, worked jobs that were appealing to me. I've also worked jobs that were decidedly un-appealing to me. But I loved them because they met a specific need for a specific time in my life.
We should never stop dreaming and growing and striving for better jobs or greater opportunities. We can't forget, though, that the best opportunities are made and not found. I think the Bible says something about being faithful
In small things…or something like that.
We really start achieving our dreams when we put our passions into whatever task is in front of us at the time. If you are a high school student working a minimum wage job- flip the best burger you can. If you are working a 9-5 job just to provide for your family. Be proud of that. You are fulfilling your first and most sacred obligation.
There's something to be said about the old adage, "bloom where you are planted." That's just my two cents though.
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